Meals on Wheels Millage
Houghton County Millage for Elder Nutritional Services
No senior should feel the indignity of being without access to nutritious meals and social connection.
In Houghton County, like so many other communities, a significant portion of the population is silently struggling. Elderly residents, most of whom spent their lives contributing to the vibrancy and resilience of the community, now face the difficult challenge of accessing and affording nutritious foods. An unacceptable number of elderly citizens are afflicted with nutrition insecurity and are going hungry.
The need in Houghton County
As the senior population has grown, so too has the demand for home-delivered meal services. In the last three years, Copper Shores Meals on Wheels has doubled the number of people served daily, reaching current organizational capacity.
Within the state of Michigan, only five counties do not have a millage to support senior nutritional services. Copper Shores Meals on Wheels serves two of those counties - Houghton and Keweenaw. These are the only two counties in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula without millage support.
Approximately one in five residents of Houghton County are over the age of 65. With an aging population that's growing, it's important to address the specific needs of seniors, who often face unique challenges related to health, mobility and access to essential services. These risk factors are magnified by limited or nonexistent public transportation options, a sparse number of grocery stores within the county’s 1,500 square miles and the constraints of individual financial means.
Abundant poverty
Approximately one in six area seniors live in poverty and many of these same residents experience food insecurity. They lack consistent access to the basic daily allowance of nutritious foods needed to be healthy. These statistics highlight the vulnerability of our elderly residents and the critical need for broader community intervention and collaboration.
The consequences of inaction are dire as seniors without adequate nutrition are at a higher risk of chronic health conditions that diminish quality of life, exacerbate their financial capabilities, and deteriorate and contribute to poor individual health.
Living in a food desert
Rural communities with limited access to grocery stores are referred to as “food deserts.’’ In Houghton County, approximately 25 percent of seniors reside in such areas, where the nearest store is often miles away and public transportation options are scarce, if available at all.
Transportation woes
Transportation is a critical factor in ensuring food security. However, roughly 30 percent of seniors in Houghton County lack reliable transportation and public options are limited, inaccessible or unaffordable for most under-resourced seniors. This limitation not only hinders their ability to access grocery stores, but also restricts their participation in community programs and social activities that can improve their overall wellbeing and combat the sense of loneliness and isolation many of our elder community feel.
Isolation and loneliness
In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a report titled "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation."
The report states, “over four decades of research has produced robust evidence that lacking social connection - and in particular, scoring high on measures of social isolation - is associated with a significantly increased risk of early death from all causes."
The physical health consequences of poor or insufficient connection include a 29 percent increased risk of heart disease; a 32 percent increased risk of stroke; and a 50 percent increased risk of developing dementia for older adults. Additionally, lacking social connection increases risk of premature death by more than 29 percent.
Key factors that shape social connection are individual health, relationships, community and society. “Lacking social connection is as dangerous as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.” Within Houghton County, 40.1 percent of our seniors live alone.
To combat these statistics, Copper Shores Meals on Wheels hosts three Meet & Eat sites across Houghton and Keweenaw counties, providing seniors with opportunities for social interactions and connections. In addition to a fresh hot meal, seniors are provided an opportunity for friendship and to be part of a community of peers.
Essential services
Many local seniors have stated that their daily home delivered meals are essential and without them, they are certain they wouldn’t be alive today. They often express gratitude for the delicious meals and daily visits from a caring person who checks on them.
A national Meals on Wheels survey found that 77 percent of seniors say that receiving daily meals reduced their loneliness and 85 percent feel more secure knowing someone is coming to check on them. An astounding 92 percent say the meal deliveries help them live independently at home. In a county known for its sisu, these statistics are worth noting.
Underfunding our seniors
Waiting lists for such programs are becoming more common across the country as aging populations increase, and federal/ state funding fails to keep pace with rising operating expenses. Nationally, one out of three meals programs have a waiting list with an average wait time of 90 days.
Unfortunately, Copper Shores Meals on Wheels falls into that statistical norm and currently has a waiting list, further complicating the aforementioned statistics and delaying access to nutritious foods and needed visits. While mail ordered meals are an option, such programs don’t provide fresh and hot meals, nor do they address the social isolation, loneliness and safety concerns many seniors face living alone.
The solution
Local seniors are currently struggling to put basic food necessities on the table. This could be a neighbor, a friend or a parent. Collectively, the community can eliminate this problem by providing Meals on Wheels access to all eligible seniors. Support of a Houghton County Millage for Elder Nutritional Services would do the following:
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Copper Shores' commitment to seniors
Copper Shores Meals on Wheels is committed to alleviating senior hunger and providing social connections that help seniors age in place. Meals on Wheels plays a vital role in supporting senior nutrition, mental health, and mitigating chronic and acute illnesses. By collaboratively investing in the senior population, community members can make a difference in seniors' lives and contribute to the health of the community for everyone. Together, it is possible can create a healthier, more secure future for the seniors of Houghton County.
A millage passage will not excuse Copper Shores from providing appropriate funding support for elder programming. In addition to continued financial support for the meals program, capital investments in needed facilities, staffing and other services will remain an organizational priority.
Seniors deserve to live with dignity and be supported by a community that is grateful for their contributions - without going to bed hungry every night.
Copper Shores Meals on Wheels is committed to the creation of a sustainable future that ensures all Houghton County seniors are able to age in place, while having access to nutritious meals, social connections and wellness checks.
How to support
Copper Shores aims to have the Houghton County Millage for Elder Nutritional Services on the August ballet. To receive notifications on millage updates, subscribe to Copper Shores' free monthly newsletter at coppershores.org/newletter.